'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎23] (876/1024)

All tbefe Plates are brought up , rang'd in order, in a large
Voyder, lacker'd like the Plates. Ulually the Voyder holds
tenor twelve Plates, and the Meat is cut in little pieces.,
about the bignels of a, Hazle Nut. They make ufe neither
of Spoons, nor Knives, nor Forks, but only of thole little
Sticks, of which I have made mention in the foregoing
Chapter, never touching their Meat with their fingers.
toDilcourfe , they alway allow the Eldeft the honour of
beginning, bearing a great refpect to them, that are aged.
But the Youngeft, at the Table, is never permitted to begm
the Dhcourfe. They waflh their Hands, their Mouths, and
Faces before they fit down , but never after Meals. And
when they defire to know whether every one has had his
fill, they ask him whether he have eaten his.Rice, according
to the Cuftom of the Ancient Fathers in Scripture, who, by
Bread , meant the whole Repaft. Neither is it a Cuftom
among them to ask one another how they do l but how
naany Meafures of Rice he eat for his Dinner, ar>d whether
he eat with an Appetite. This is a general Cuftom among
all the Idolatrous Indians , unlefs in the Dominions of the
Great where they eat not Rice only, but Bread, and
there they ask in civility how much Rice they boil'd, and
how much Meal they bak'd for Bread j for the more he eats,
the better in health they think a man is*
Among all the Paftimes of the Tuncjuinefes there are none
are only Acfted in the Night-time • but thofe which are pre-
fented the day that they firft behold the new Moon are the
heft. They laft from Sun-letting to Sun-rifing, and they
are let out with beautiful Decorations and Machines, very
pleafing to behold. They are excellently well skill d in
reprelenting the Sea and Rivers, and making a fliew of Sea-
fights, and Combats between Galleys and Barks, though
they have leldom more then eight A£tors, Men and Women*
The places appointed for thefe fights, are great Halls, the
third part whereof the Theater takes up, the reft being fill'd
with Benches for the Spectators. Upon each fide of the
Theater, is a Box very fiimptuoufty fee out referv’d for the
When there are feverai fitting at the Table, either at their
ordinary' Meals, or upon fome Feftival, th^y account it a
great piece of Manners to be filent • or if they have a defire
wherein they take fo much delight as in Comedies, which
Kin 1